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Sunday, 19 January 2014

Foreo Luna VS Clarisonic Plus

Just over a year ago I wrote a comparison post about the differences between the Clarisonic Plus and Clarisonic Mia. As with every piece of technology, there is inevitably going to be advances, so this year I'll be comparing the differences between the Foreo Luna and Clarisonic Plus, and deciding which performs better, which is better value and overall which is the better product.

I've covered the Clarisonic on here quite a bit before, so won't go in to too much detail here, but you can read my original review and thoughts HERE. The Foreo Luna was first introduced to me prior to opening Samsara Skin. Since then I've been using the Foreo Luna for combination skin at home (despite being male, my skin is too soft for the Foreo Luna for Men) and we also use the Foreo Luna Professional Set in our treatment room (we were the first clinic in the UK to get it, to the best of my knowledge). So I think I'm in a good position to give both my personal and professional opinion on the Foreo Luna.

Lets start with the similarities. Both the Clarisonic Plus and Foreo Luna are designed to deep cleanse the skin, using sonic technology, therefore able to remove more dirt, oil and makeup than manual cleansing alone. Due to the gentle manual exfoliation, they're also able to refine the tone and texture of the skin and prevent blocked pores, which can lead to acne.

However, the way they achieve this is very different indeed.

Design

When it comes to cleansing brushes, Clarisonic has been the front-runner for a long time, with different brands bringing out dupes that have very much been based on the Clarisonic design. What I love about the Foreo Luna, is rather than following in Clarisonic's footsteps, it's a completely new & innovative design. Rather than using nylon brush heads that oscillate, the Foreo Luna has rounded silicone touch-points to channel the sonic pulsations to the skin, making it much gentler and non-abrasive on the skin.

I found holding the Foreo Luna a little awkward at first, compared to the handled Clarisonic, however once you're used to it, the Foreo Luna fits quite comfortably in the hand. Due to the curved design, it's also a lot easier to get in to the different contours of the face, compared to the rounded brush-head of the Clarisonic.

Modes

The Clarisonic Plus is essentially a cleansing tool, it has multiple different cleansing modes, however cleansing is it's only action. The Foreo Luna has two modes. A deep cleansing mode plus an anti-ageing mode, where you use the ridges on the back to massage different areas of the face, to stimulate collagen production, encourage lymph drainage and increase micro-circulation. It also has the ability to push skin care products deeper in to the skin, aiding product absorption so your anti-ageing ingredients work better. It's like having two devices in one.

Brush Heads

The Clarisonic has various brush heads for different skin types, which require changing every 3 months for hygiene reasons. The Foreo Luna has no brush head. Instead, as mentioned it uses silicone touch-points. The silicone is nonporous, waterproof, antibacterial and antimicrobial, therefore really hygienic and doesn't require changing. A quick wash with some hand soap is all that's needed. For this reason, in a professional setting of a treatment room, the Foreo Luna Professional is the obvious choice.

Charging

The Clarisonic requires a full 24 hours charging, which lasts for about a week or two of usage. The Foreo Luna takes an hour for a full charge, which lasts for up to 450 uses! For that reason, the Foreo Luna is by far the more convenient.

Speeds

The Clarisonic Plus has three speeds, Low, Normal & High. The Foreo Luna has 8 speeds, therefore can be tailored to your preference and skins tolerance.

Size / Portability

I found the Clarisonic Plus a little too big and bulky to travel with, which is why I ended up purchasing the Clarisonic Mia also. The full size Foreo Luna is smaller and lighter than even the Clarisonic Mia. Plus, because it requires less charging, it means you don't need to carry the charger with you too.

Price

The Clarisonic Plus retails at £179, however you do need to buy new brush heads at £21 each, every 3 months so an additional £84 a year in costs. The Foreo Luna retails at £145, with no additional outlay for brush heads.

Results / Summary

Saving the most important till last, the results. Both products leave the skin feeling really clean. I've heard lots of people report that the Clarisonic can be too harsh for their skin, even with the most sensitive brush head. Sometimes even reporting a 'purging' stage, which is from over stimulation. I must admit, I never had this problem, but then again, I have quite resilient skin and I was always ultra-gentle.
I find the Foreo Luna much more gentle in comparison, it's a little more 'fool-proof' in the fact it's pretty impossible to press too hard and cause damage to the skin. I find it gentle enough for even twice daily usage. Plus, due to the anti-ageing mode, it's like having two devices in one. Therefore, the overall winner for me has to be the Foreo Luna, for it's ability to use the sonic pulsation for stimulation rather than just cleansing alone. Plus, it's better value for money, as a one off investment, rather than paying out for additional brush heads.

If you're interested, I also wrote a post covering the difference between the Foreo Luna and Luna Professional over on the Samsara Skin blog.

I'm so glad to see a review of the Foreo Luna, I've been eyeing this for quite a while on Cult Beauty and couldn't decide whether or not to take the plunge. Ill definitely be adding this to my birthday wishlist now!

I've tried three brush type cleansing gadgets and my skin just doesn't tolerate them. But the Foreo Luna does sound like something I could use. Just going by your post Andy, the Luna could potentially knock Clarisonic off its long held pedestal.

I've tried the Clarisonic in the past and my skin absolutely hated it, so I'm liking the sound of the Foreo Luna a lot more now! Does seem very convenient to travel with as you pointed out, the Clarisonic is so bulky! x